Under the impact of rationalism the church has often relegated spiritual
healing to a bygone age. Healing miracles occurred when Jesus lived in
history, it has been said, but no longer. Some theologians have been known
to claim that miracles . . . perhaps never actually were historical facts
but rather faith’s understandable adornment of the beloved memory of the
Teacher. Martin Luther did not think that way, and it is futile to reconcile
him with modernity in this regard . . . .
To Gerhard Wilskemp, Luther wrote about an illness from which he was suffering: "Christ has so far triumphed, I commend myself to the prayers of yourself and the brethren. I have healed others, I cannot heal myself." In other words, Luther had placed himself at God’s disposal for spiritual healing of people sick in mind and body. At this particular juncture he despaired a little about the possibility of being healed himself.
When Philip Melanchthon lay gravely ill, Luther turned to the window in the sickroom and poured out his soul in the boldest and most glowing prayer for his friend's recovery. About this occasion Luther wrote: "This time I besought the Almighty with great vigor. I attacked him with his own weapons, quoting from Scripture all the promises I could remember, that prayers should be granted, and said that he must grant my prayer, if I was henceforth to put faith in his promises." Luther then took the hand of the sick man saying: "Be of good courage, Philip, you will not die, although the Lord might see cause to kill, yet he does not will the death of the sinner, but rather that he should turn to him and live. God has called the greatest sinners unto mercy; how much less, then, will he cast you off, my Philip, or destroy you in sin and sadness. Therefore, do not give way to grief, do not become your own murderer, but trust in the Lord, who can kill and bring to life, who can strike and heal again."
It is clear that Luther knew Melanchthon’s inner struggle at the time, namely, that Melanchthon was blaming himself for too little stoutness in the defense of the evangelical cause. Melanchthon would rather have passed away in peace than have to return to earthly strife. But the power channeled by Luther’s prayer recalled the sick man. Melanchthon recovered from what appeared to be the brink of death. He wrote later: "I was recalled from death to life by divine power."
Let no one who still considers the healing services of the church a dubious undertaking from the vantage point of the Lutheran Reformation believe that Luther’s allusions to and recommendations of spiritual healing were incidental and thus not built into his concept of Christ’s power. There is among Luther’s letters a document which shows us beyond any doubt that he viewed spiritual healing as an integral part of the pastoral task of the church.
He did not forget that medically trained people should be consulted. But especially when their counsels seemed at an end the constant necessity for intercessory prayer stood out plainly. The petitions should be regular and ritually ordered. Thus reads the letter from Martin Luther to Pastor Severin Schulze:
" . . . Venerable Sir and Pastor, . . . I offer some good advice and help for the afflicted husband of Mrs. John Korner. I know of no worldly help to give. If the physicians are at a loss to find a remedy, you may be sure that it is not a case of ordinary melancholy . . . . This must be counteracted by the power of Christ and with the prayer of faith. This is what we do – and we have been accustomed to it, for a cabinetmaker here was similarly afflicted with madness and we cured him by prayer in Christ’s name.
You should consequently proceed as follows. Go to him with the deacon and two or three good men. Confident that you, as pastor of the place, are invested with the authority of the ministerial office, lay your hands upon him and say: ‘Peace be with you, dear brother, from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Thereupon read the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer over him in a clear voice, and close with these words: ‘O God, Almighty Father, who has told us through your Son, Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it to you;’ who has commanded and encouraged us to pray in His name ‘Ask and you shall receive;’ and who in like manner has said, ‘Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you and you shalt glorify me;’ we unworthy sinners, relying on these your words and command, pray for your mercy with such faith as we can muster. Graciously deign to free this man from all evil, and put to nought the work that Satan has done in him, to the honor of your name and the strengthening of the faith of believers. Through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, world without end. Amen.
Then when you depart, lay your hands on the man again and say: ‘These signs shall follow them that believe; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.’
Do this three times, once on each of three successive days. Meanwhile let prayers be said from the chancel of the church, publicly until God hears them.
To the extent to which we are able, we shall at the same time unite our faithful prayers and petitions to the Lord with yours."
It will be noted that the kind of healing Luther described here was in part exorcism. If we recognize the likelihood or accept the cer-tainty of a "peopled" dimension beyond the natural sphere determined by our senses, we have to reckon with the reality of obsession. Luther’s sermon on angels plainly does. It may seem an impossible idea in a modern scientific world. But then both western expe-riences on the mission fields and a new sense for the occult overtones of human existence in our day and age have altered some presuppo-sitions. Not a few ordained clergy in the western world are "part-time exorcists," in the name of Christ. More of them are building into the curriculum of the parish services intercessory prayers for the sick. An equally growing number are laying hands on the sick in private pastoral encounters.
Bengt R. Hoffman: Luther and the Mystics, (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg, 1976), pp. 195-200.